Thanks to the assistance of New York City Council Member, Hon. John Liu, and Vice Chancellor Jay Hershenson from CUNY University Relations, the New York City Council has approved funding to set up a high tech media production and training center at AAARI.
The City Council equipment grant of $154,000 is divided into Training ($52,654 for computers, plus audio-visual equipment for ten students); Production ($48,642 for professional audio-visual equipment for events such as lectures, workshops, festivals, and conferences); Post-Production ($15,850 for professional editing system, and duplicating machines); and Publication ($37,739 for professional duplicating, binding and cutting machines).
Production and training programs will allow faculty, students, and community representatives to learn, to communicate, to access and create programs related to Asians and Asian Americans. The grant is expected to raise the productivity of scholars in CUNY. They will be trained to master the new technology in the production of programs that will reach a vast audience. The programs produced will be beneficial not only to the students within CUNY, but to professionals and the general public, including students and teachers in the public schools. The development of an internet presence should overcome the physical separation of campuses, and provide a convenient virtual space that brings together individual faculty talents within CUNY. For the often-neglected Asian American community, this project will highlight their concerns and bring better understanding of their culture and society. It will also enhance the effectiveness of pubic policy within government, social and educational agencies on issues affecting them.
